Bulletin THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS IN CANADA Vol. 04 • Winter 2011 In this issue... Commemorative War Memorial Program • 4 HONOUR • 10 Agent Orange Eligibility Amended • 1 NCVA Web Site Launched! • 4 King’s Vimy Ridge Medal Coming to Canada • 10 Merchant Navy Memorial • 2 Veterans Affairs Canada: 2011 Pension Rates • 4 Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Trophy • 11 New Veterans Charter Update • 3 Ste. Anne’s Update • 8 Winterlude Ice Sculpture • 11 In Remembrance – Brian Costello • 3 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal • 9 Preventing Falls • 12 Agent Orange Eligibility Amended The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Veterans Affairs, recently announced a significant change in the eligibility rules regarding the Agent Orange ex gratia payment. In addition, the government of Canada has extended the time that individuals have to submit an application. The previous prerequisite that eligible veterans had to be alive on February 6, 2006, has been withdrawn. Applicants now have until June 30, 2011 to obtain a relevant medical diagnosis and submit an application. In response to the announcement, NCVA Secretary General Brian Forbes sent out the following memo to NCVA Executive Officers and Representatives, Member-Associations: I am pleased to advise that the Minister of Veterans for some of the most seriously impacted families Affairs has announced a significant change in the where the veteran died from an early onset of the eligibility rules relating to the Agent Orange ex gratia Agent Orange exposure. payments made to those veterans exposed to Agent In recent meetings with the Minister and senior Orange in the 1960s. departmental officials, we had emphasized the As you will know, this has been a longstanding absolute need for this change in the retroactivity concern of NCVA and has been part and parcel of provisions of the ex gratia policy. our Legislative Agenda for a number of years. We also continue to pursue the question of the As I stated at our Annual General Meeting in pensionability of many of these cases from the Toronto in October, the previous policy of VAC had perspective of gaining entitlement for either a resulted in a travesty of justice for those families in disability pension or award as outlined in our NCVA circumstances where the veteran had died prior to legislative platform. We are currently working with 2006. There was simply no way to justify the exclusion Chuck McCabe of the Armed Forces Pensioners’/ of these individuals by means of this arbitrary line of Annuitants’ Association of Canada and other demarcation for entitlement purposes. In fact, it had organizations in this context with respect to our the consequence of precluding the receipt of benefits ongoing agenda with the Department. NCVA Bulletin • Vol. 4 • Winter 2011 • 1 Over recent months, we have drawn to your attention from the Minister on a number of our priority the initial steps that have been taken by VAC in recommendations to improve benefit legislation improving the New Veterans Charter in direct available to traditional veterans. I will keep you response to the proposals made by the New Veterans apprised of these anticipated developments. Charter Advisory Group, of which NCVA is an integral representative. It is also our expectation that other positive announcements will be forthcoming Merchant Navy Memorial A recently erected monument, which is positioned on the bank of the Moira River in Franklin Park in Belleville, Ontario, provides long-deserved recognition for Canada’s Merchant Navy veterans. Phil Etter of the Canadian Merchant Navy Veterans Association and Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis spearheaded a successful campaign with the objective of acknowledging the wartime service and sacrifice of the veterans of Canada’s Merchant Navy. The Merchant Navy Memorial stands as an important addition to the tributes accorded to our military, past and present. The memorial has the following words etched on the polished face of a rough hewn boulder: The Lifeline of the World 1914 – 1919 1939 – 1945 This memorial is dedicated to the men and women of the Canadian Merchant Navy. Their courage, fortitude and determination in two World Wars kept the ships sailing through the terrible years of unparalleled loss. In particular we remember the men and women who gave their lives and whose only grave is the sea. Their supreme sacrifice in both World Wars ensured the lifeline of Troops and of supplies without which victory could not have been ours and without which we would not now enjoy our freedom. Lest We Forget A dedication of this memorial is planned for Spring 2011. 2 • NCVA Bulletin • Vol. 4 • Winter 2011 New Veterans Charter Update Recent issues of the NCVA Bulletin have covered policy guidelines, as well as pressing with the developments regarding the New Veterans Charter. Minister’s office for implementation of Bill C-55, which would amend the Canadian Forces Members Despite announcements last fall by Veterans Affairs and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Canada of a substantial increase in programs to assist Act and the Pension Act. modern-day veterans and lower-ranked members of the Canadian Forces, it remains NCVA’s position A recent development concerning the New Veterans that this is a good first step, with still much to do. Charter was the announcement in December that Canada’s Auditor General, Sheila Fraser, will launch NCVA continues to call for the full implementation an audit into the implementation of the Charter, with of the recommendations of the New Veterans Charter the report expected to be released in the fall of 2012. Advisory Group, on which NCVA sits, and the additional proposals regarding the new Charter made by the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs. It also remains NCVA’s high priority as part and parcel of its involvement with the New Veterans Charter Advisory Group to ensure that VAC also fulfills the Government’s commitment to traditional veterans and that the new Program’s development does not lead to any reduction in future benefits and services provided to traditional veterans and their dependants. We are also working closely with the VAC hierarchy to enhance or improve the Permanent Impairment Auditor General, Sheila Fraser In Remembrance – Brian Costello Brian Costello, former Mayor of Carleton Place, friend of all veterans and was also a dedicated member Ontario, and Peacetime veteran, passed away recently of the Almonte-based White Ensign Association, an at the age of 67. At the time of his passing, he was area organization for naval veterans. serving as Honorary Colonel of the 42nd Field Mr. Costello, well-known in the Regiment in Petawawa. community as a historian and a Mr. Costello was actively involved story-teller, was also the historian/ in politics for more than 30 years curator of the Canada Veterans Hall and served as Carleton Place Mayor of Valour, which is a unique project for three consecutive terms, ending allowing Canadians to learn, in one in 2003. location, biographic details of the men and women who served this Having served in the Royal Canadian country in the military forces. Navy in the 60s, he remained a NCVA Bulletin • Vol. 4 • Winter 2011 • 3 Commemorative War Memorial Program As mentioned in the last NCVA Bulletin, It was recently announced that the Veterans Affairs Canada announced the Toronto District School Board is set Community War Memorial Program to receive funding through VAC’s which would see $5 million spread over Commemorative War Memorial a five-year period to be used to build Program to restore the Malvern cenotaphs/monuments or for major Collegiate Institute World War I additions to existing ones. Memorial. This monument was erected in 1922 in memory of those from the VAC has recently released a brochure for Institute who laid down their lives in the Community War Memorial Program, the Great War. Planned restoration which provides further information on work includes re-attaching the statue's this initiative. In addition, it outlines missing hand and replacing the missing the requirements necessary to complete sword. In addition, the cracked concrete and submit an application. Should you footing and some missing mortar will wish to obtain a copy of this brochure, also be replaced. please contact Veterans Affairs Canada toll-free at 1 866 522-2122. NCVA Web Site Launched! The National Council of Veteran Associations now has its own website – http://www.ncva-cnaac.ca. It includes member-groups, news releases, links and NCVA Bulletins. More will be added as the site develops. Veterans Affairs Canada: 2011 Pension Rates The monthly pension rates, effective January 1, 2011, are reproduced in this edition, for your reference. Note that rates have increased 3.346776% based on the Consumer Price Index, in accordance with Section 75 of the Pension Act. On the following pages, you will find the monthly rates of pensions for disabilities and dependants, as well as the rates of Exceptional Incapacity Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Clothing Allowance. 4 • NCVA Bulletin • Vol. 4 • Winter 2011 Table A. Monthly rates of pensions for disabilities Table A. continued NCVA Bulletin • Vol. 4 • Winter 2011 • 5 Table B. Monthly rates of pensions for dependants 6 • NCVA Bulletin • Vol. 4 • Winter 2011 Table D. Rates of Exceptional Incapacity Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Clothing Allowance NCVA Bulletin • Vol. 4 • Winter 2011 • 7 Ste. Anne’s Update In September, Federal authorities met with local veterans’ organizations at Ste. Anne’s Hospital to give them a briefing on the transfer of the hospital to the Quebec government. Okill Stuart President, 14th Canadian Field Regiment Association, and a Second World War veteran, attended this meeting on behalf of NCVA and was interviewed by the Montreal Gazette. The piece appeared too late for our last issue, and so we are reprinting it below.